November 1, 2002

Colin McGinnis
Chief of Staff
Senator Paul Wellstone
136 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2303

Dear Mr. McGinnis:

On behalf of the National Association of Social Workers, I want to express our profound sadness and grief to you and the staff for the tragic events of last Friday, which claimed the lives of Senator and Mrs. Wellstone, their daughter, members of his staff, and the pilots.

Paul and Sheila Wellstone stood first in the hearts of many social workers for the principled stands they took on all the issues that affected the most vulnerable members of American society.

NASW worked with Paul Wellstone prior to his electoral successes. Our Minnesota chapter worked in coalition with him around voter registration and other issues. We were proud members of all his campaign coalitions and thrilled at the innovative ways he married community organization to electoral politics. In many ways, the electoral techniques he developed will be one of the most remarkable parts of his legacy.

NASW is proud that it gave its first National Public Elected Official award to Senator Paul Wellstone. Our chapter and national leadership took great delight and pleasure in his acceptance speech for the award at our 1996 Annual Leadership Meeting.

In this election cycle we were working intensely with our Minnesota chapter to secure his re-election. We had made maximum financial contributions to his campaign and placed an organizer in our chapter office to fully mobilize NASW members to support Senator Wellstone. Minnesota NASW members held a fundraiser for Senator Wellstone in the Twin Cities on Sunday, September 15, 2002. Paul and Sheila spent over an hour and half at the fundraiser engaging our members’ many social justice concerns, and also was very attentive to our organizer who expects her first child in January.

We valued so much our personal and political relationship with Paul and Sheila Wellstone. At the Minnesota chapter fundraiser, Senator Wellstone told the participants that if social workers would get organized, they could control social policy. We believe him. So while we are mourning, we are also organizing.

Sincerely,


Terry Mizrahi, MSW, PhD
President